Taylor Swift’s New Album The Tortured Poets Department - Reaction, Theories and Discussion

Hosts Lisa and Cameron of the fanmade Taylor Swift podcast "Swiftly Spoken" delve into the anticipation and theories surrounding Taylor Swift's 11th studio album, "The Tortured Poet's Department." They express their shock at the unexpected announcement, which disrupted their episode plans, and dive into the album's tracklist, examining potential lyrical themes and connections to Swift's personal life and past work. The hosts speculate on the album's impact on Swift's ongoing Eras Tour and discuss the intriguing song titles that hint at narratives of love, loss, and self-reflection. They also touch on the features by Post Malone and Florence and the Machine, the album's aesthetic, and the excitement within the Swiftie community.

• Lisa and Cameron discuss their surprise regarding the announcement of Taylor Swift's 11th studio album, "The Tortured Poets Department."
• They had initially planned for other episodes, expecting to focus on Taylor's "Reputation" era due to clues suggesting its imminent re-release.
• The announcement disrupted their planned episodes and led to a swift change in focus to the new album.

"In this episode we're going to be reacting and deep diving into what we know about Taylor Swift's 11th studio album, The Tortured Poets Department."

The quote is an introduction to the podcast episode's main topic, which is Taylor Swift's upcoming 11th album.

• The hosts share their astonishment at the unexpected announcement of TS11.
• They discuss how they had to quickly adapt their podcast schedule to accommodate the new album's discussion.
• The announcement was a surprise, not predicted in their "bingo card" of expectations.

"One week into our episod... we've had to like derail all of our plans and jump into TS11 which was not what like that was not on our bingo card was."

The quote explains how the announcement of Taylor Swift's 11th album was not anticipated and led to a shift in their podcast planning.

• Lisa and Cameron had noticed clues pointing towards a "Reputation" themed release.
• Taylor Swift's profile picture change to black and white and the coding changes on her website hinted at something related to the "Reputation" era.
• The hosts discuss the Swiftie community's interpretation of these clues and the excitement it generated.

"The code on her website was purposefully changed which is also really reputation coded... it was ready for you to kind of into cu."

The quote reflects on the deliberate changes made to Taylor Swift's website, which fans interpreted as clues related to the "Reputation" era.

• Lisa recounts her experience of staying up for the Grammy Awards, expecting a standard outcome.
• The hosts were surprised by Taylor Swift's win for Best Pop Vocal Album and her subsequent announcement of TS11.
• They discuss the unpredictability of Grammy wins and how Taylor's announcement was strategically timed.

"And then one week one week into our episod... and I woke up to your message and I'm sure you said something like you know what I mean you're in for a big surprise."

The quote captures Lisa's reaction to the unexpected news of Taylor Swift's Grammy win and the announcement of her new album.

• The hosts delve into the specifics of the website error message and how it contained hidden messages.
• They discuss the "red herring" found in the error code, which was a distraction from the actual album announcement.
• The error code also included words in various languages that hinted at the album's themes.

"There were a few letters that could be unscrambled into the word red herring which is obviously like something that is blatantly obvious but actually a distraction for something else."

This quote discusses the discovery of the term "red herring" in the website's error code, which was a clue meant to distract fans from the actual announcement.

• The hosts express their thoughts on the album title "The Tortured Poets Department" and its unique length compared to Swift's previous album titles.
• They discuss the aesthetic of the album cover and the white color theme, suggesting purity, surrender, and a fresh start.
• The cover design is noted to be different from past albums, indicating a new direction for Swift.

"The title to me still I'm still like learning the tortured poets department and that was obviously clear that she didn't know that she was going to win album of the year because she would have waited till then if she'd known."

The quote reflects on the album title and suggests that Taylor Swift did not expect to win Album of the Year at the Grammys, otherwise she might have waited to announce the album.

• The hosts celebrate Taylor Swift's Grammy wins, including Album of the Year, and the historical significance of her achievements.
• They discuss the end of the "Midnights" era and the transition to the new album.
• The announcement of "The Tortured Poets Department" is seen as a fitting conclusion to the "Midnights" era and a promising start to a new chapter.

"And yeah just crazy that now you know she's won album of the year... and it's kind of all it's it's nice. I I feel like the midnight seral was way too short."

The quote discusses the significance of Taylor Swift's Grammy win for Album of the Year and the bittersweet feeling of the "Midnights" era ending sooner than expected.

• Lisa and Cameron discuss the aesthetic elements of Taylor Swift's new album.
• They find the album reminiscent of her 1989 era, with a vulnerable and sensual vibe.
• The album's color association is white, and it has a sepia tone rather than black and white.
• The album cover is intriguing due to the obscured face of the artist, adding to the mystery.

"I really like it. I think it's so interesting there's something kind of intriguing about it the fact you can't see her face it's a bit 1989 esque you know like with the border and what I was going to bring up..."

This quote emphasizes the visual intrigue and nostalgic connection to Taylor Swift's 1989 album era, highlighting the intentional artistic choices in the album's presentation.

• The album's release date is set for April 19th, which is about 10 weeks away from the time of the conversation.
• Both Lisa and Cameron express excitement and anticipation for the album's release, noting that it's not too far in the future.

"So we know obviously that the date it is coming out is the 19th of April so not too long away only about 10 weeks if you start this week..."

This quote conveys the specific release date of the album and the speakers' eagerness as they count down the weeks until its arrival.

• The speakers speculate on whether Taylor Swift will release a lead single.
• They note that she hasn't followed the traditional lead single release pattern since her "Lover" album.
• The conversation reflects on the complete album drop approach taken for "Folklore," "Evermore," and "Midnights."

"But I feel like that she hasn't been doing lead singles up until now. and I don't think she's going to cuz we we haven't had like a lead single treatment to an album since lover really."

This quote discusses Taylor Swift's recent trend of not releasing lead singles, suggesting a shift in her strategy for unveiling new music.

• The speakers discuss Taylor Swift's history with the Grammy Awards and her album of the year wins.
• They note that all of Taylor's albums with 13 tracks have won Album of the Year.
• The Grammys' preference for thematic, well-constructed albums is highlighted.

"Every single album of Taylor that has 13 tracks has one album of the Year folklore is an extra cuz it had more the three that had 13 are the three that won no alum albums that there aren't any albums that had 13 and haven't won."

This quote outlines a pattern in Taylor Swift's Grammy success, linking it to albums with a specific number of tracks, which seems to resonate with the awards committee's criteria.

• The album contains 16 tracks with a bonus track named "The Manuscript."
• The speakers express excitement about the album's features, particularly the inclusion of Post Malone and Florence and the Machine.
• They discuss the potential for different album versions with unique tracks or artifacts.

"Yes and they are rogue like I love it though post Malone and Florence and the Machine like they they couldn't be so far further away from each other in terms of like them as artist..."

This quote captures the speakers' enthusiasm for the diverse range of featured artists on the album, emphasizing the unexpected collaborations.

• The speakers admire the album's unique concept and Taylor Swift's creativity in curating aesthetics.
• They mention the early revelation of the bonus track "The Manuscript" and its academic and poetic associations.
• There is speculation about the significance of the track being marketed early and what that might mean for the album's narrative.

"It's weird that that was revealed to us so early on. yeah it also does make me feel that they we might be in store for other versions of the album..."

This quote reflects on the strategic marketing choice to reveal the bonus track's name early, sparking curiosity about the album's overarching theme and potential additional content.

• The speakers express frustration over a leaked tracklist on TikTok, which may have disrupted Taylor Swift's planned reveal.
• They discuss the potential impact of leaks on the excitement and surprise of new releases.
• Despite the leak, the release of the official tracklist adds to the album's tangibility and anticipation.

"And I'm I'm slightly annoyed because as ever someone on Tik Tok has to ruin it and has to reveal something you know like it's..."

This quote conveys disappointment with the premature disclosure of the tracklist, considering the impact on the artist's intended rollout strategy and fan experience.

• Lisa and Cameron delve into the tracklist, exploring possible connections to previous lyrics and Taylor Swift's storytelling techniques.
• They caution that while they will speculate on the meanings behind the song titles, Taylor is known for subverting expectations.
• The speakers are intrigued by the song titles and feature artists, eager to see how the album's story unfolds.

"So watch out for we can't tell anything really. but we we're still going to about that."

This quote acknowledges the unpredictability of Taylor Swift's songwriting and the limitations of trying to interpret song titles before hearing the actual music.

• Lisa introduces the concept of a "tarnished coat of arms" as a metaphor for personal struggles and imperfections.
• The "Muses acquired bruises" suggests that creativity comes with emotional pain or challenges.
• "Talisman and charms" and "veins of Pitch Black Ink" symbolize the protective and expressive aspects of art.
• Love and poetry are depicted as a battlefield where everything is fair and intense emotions are involved.
• The mention of the "tortured poets Department" implies a self-awareness of the artist's role and possibly the emotional toll of creating art.

"and so I enter into evidence my tarnish coat of arms my Muses acquired bruises my Talisman and charms the tick tick tick of Love bombs my veins of Pitch Black Ink all fair in love and poetry."

This quote indicates the artist's introspective acknowledgment of the hardships and tools of their craft, framing their art as evidence in a metaphorical trial.

• Cameron discusses the unpredictability of how artists, like Taylor, might choose to present their work, referencing unexpected lyrical choices in past songs.
• The conversation highlights the difficulty in predicting how a song's title will be incorporated into the lyrics, if at all.
• The mention of "anti-hero" and "cardigan" serves as examples of Taylor's unique lyrical twists.

"I never imagined she was going to sing anti-hero the way that she did and rhyme it with exactly."

Cameron expresses surprise at Taylor's creative approach to songwriting, emphasizing the challenge in anticipating her artistic decisions.

• Lisa and Cameron discuss how song titles can be thematically connected to an artist's previous work, suggesting a deeper narrative.
• The title "my boy only breaks his favorite toys" is speculated to reference a specific person or event, hinting at personal significance.
• The hosts speculate that the song "so long London" might relate to "London Boy" and indicate a heartfelt departure from a significant place or time in the artist's life.

"and there are so many even just from these titles the things that they link to is nuts like link that for example."

Lisa points out the intricate connections between new song titles and previous works, indicating a complex web of thematic relationships.

• The hosts speculate that the album's tracklist might tell a chronological story of an emotional journey.
• "down bad" is thought to be about intense attraction, while "so long London" is anticipated to be a heart-wrenching song.
• The discussion of "but daddy I love him" suggests it could explore themes of sacrifice and voicelessness, referencing The Little Mermaid.

"I mean is that's kind of when you're really like down for someone like you're really into someone isn't it that it might give us a chronological kind of story not sure cuz like does go potentially a bit."

Cameron considers the possibility that the album's narrative might explore the progression of emotions in a relationship, with "down bad" representing a peak of infatuation.

• The hosts discuss the multi-layered meanings behind song titles like "Fresh Out. The Slammer." and "but daddy I love him."
• They speculate on the emotional tone of the songs, with some expected to be more upbeat and others to have a somber or reflective quality.
• The titles are thought to collectively evoke a consistent vibe, possibly telling a unified story or exploring similar themes.

"Fresh Out. The Slammer. oh yes. I like this one. yes like fresh out of jail you know what I mean like that is nuts like you know what I mean so so long London but."

Lisa expresses excitement over the potential themes and narrative suggested by the song title "Fresh Out. The Slammer.", interpreting it as a metaphor for liberation.

• The track "Florida" featuring Florence is anticipated with excitement, especially given its potential connection to a significant event in Taylor's life.
• "guilty as Sin?" and "who's afraid of little old me" are titles that provoke curiosity and are speculated to contain hidden meanings or references.

"Florida with three exclamation marks and this is the one featuring Florence in the and Florida ises I believe that it was the night of the tour when obviously the news was announced that Taylor's relationship had kind of ended."

Cameron links the title "Florida" to a particular moment in Taylor's history, suggesting that the song may address personal events and emotions.

• The hosts discuss Taylor's reputation for deeply personal and vulnerable songwriting, expecting this album to continue that trend.
• The title "I can do it with a broken heart" suggests resilience in the face of emotional pain.
• Taylor's ability to convey her feelings through her music choices and performances is highlighted as a key aspect of her artistry.

"and you know that was when like during kind of that time when Taylor was performing songs and you could see the emotion that was pouring out of her."

Lisa reflects on how Taylor's live performances often reveal her emotional state, demonstrating her vulnerability and the personal nature of her music.

• The hosts delve into the potential meanings behind titles like "the smallest man who ever lived" and "the Alchemy," speculating on their metaphorical significance.
• "the Alchemy" is discussed in terms of its historical and symbolic connotations, suggesting themes of transformation and authenticity.
• The conversation emphasizes the complexity and depth that can be found in interpreting song titles.

"so Alchemy is a very interesting title because it's like a medieval chemistry basically which basically studied and attempted to convert different Metals into gold."

Cameron explores the metaphorical implications of the title "the Alchemy," connecting it to themes of transformation and the pursuit of authenticity in relationships or personal growth.

• Taylor Swift's work often includes references to notable female figures from the past.
• Elizabeth Taylor and Rebecca Harkness have been mentioned in previous works.
• The song "The Lucky One" may reference Clara Bow, an American actress known for silent films and early "talkies."
• Clara Bow was an "It Girl" and faced a rocky marriage with actor Rex Bell.
• The aspect of Clara Bow's life that Taylor might focus on is uncertain.

"Clara Bow if it is making reference which we guess it is to the claro basically uh she was an American actress and she was very well known for her silent films and then she was able to transition over to spoken the first ever films that were like actually had people speaking in them so she was an IT girl she was very very popular in that day however again also known for a bit of a rocky time in her marriage should we say to another actor Rex Bell they got married apparently she then was on she also did another film hoopla it caused a rift between them. and then she kind of like disappeared."

This quote explains who Clara Bow is and her significance in film history, as well as hinting at the personal struggles she faced, which may be of interest in Taylor Swift's work.

• Taylor Swift is delving into the film industry with an upcoming project she is writing, producing, and directing.
• She references the Golden Age of Hollywood and older films in her work.
• Her approach suggests a fascination with film history and could influence her new projects.

"I think what's really interesting is obviously Taylor has an upcoming film that she's writing producing directing all of the above um and I think what's really interesting is her delving into kind of film even with like lavender hay and then things with like anti-hero they're like everybody's a sexy baby things like that I feel like she's getting lots of references at the moment from film and older films I feel like she's kind of seems to be harking back to like the Golden Age of Hollywood almost and kind of looking back at lots of films."

This quote discusses Taylor Swift's current interest in filmmaking and her references to classic Hollywood, indicating a thematic influence on her upcoming works.

• Taylor Swift's album has been in the works for two years, overlapping with the creation of "Midnights."
• The album rollout includes a physical deluxe CD with a 17th bonus track titled "The Manuscript," suggesting themes of discarding old narratives and starting anew.
• The album's aesthetic is likened to crime evidence, hinting at a narrative or conceptual approach.

"and then obviously the physical Edition the deluxe CD so far um that we have is there is a 17th track um bonus track for the CD which is the manuscript which we've kind of set our excitement for and seems interesting like I'm getting the vibe of like ripping up the manuscript kind of throwing out what she'd been told and what she'd expected."

This quote suggests that the bonus track "The Manuscript" may symbolize a departure from past expectations or narratives, fitting with the crime evidence aesthetic of the album.

• The album's back cover features a lyric "I love you it's ruining my life," indicating emotional themes.
• The design includes a logo resembling an official stamp, adding to the album's thematic layering.
• Long song titles are seen as giving away more information about the album's content.

"and I think what's also interesting to mention is the back cover obviously how we found out the track list also has what I believe is a lyric um which is I love you it's ruining my life."

This quote highlights a poignant lyric from the album's back cover, suggesting a central theme of love and its complexities.

• The release of the new album coincides with the Era Tour, raising questions about how the new songs will be incorporated into the setlist.
• Comparisons are made to other artists who have released albums during tours and how they adjusted their performances.
• There is speculation about Taylor potentially performing new songs during the tour or at separate, more intimate events.

"but I think we play it by ear honestly and see what happens your thoughts."

This quote reflects the uncertainty surrounding how the new album will fit into the ongoing Era Tour, suggesting a wait-and-see approach.

• The hosts encourage listener engagement to share thoughts on the album's aesthetic, track names, and potential themes.
• The rapid release of information has been a shock, and there is excitement for the surprises that may still come.
• The hosts express a desire to deep dive into the stories behind the songs once Taylor Swift has shared more.

"so suddenly but I think there's still a lot more surprises to come I do."

This quote captures the excitement and anticipation for the new album and the surprises it may hold, emphasizing the swift release of information and the community's eagerness to engage with the content.